In 1825, Thomas Bowdler, British editor, died. He edited a censored version of the works of Shakespeare, giving the word "bowdlerise" to the English language.

In 1848, after a revolution in Paris, Louis Philippe of France abdicated in favor of his grandson, the Comte de Paris. The move failed and the Second Republic was proclaimed two days later.

In 1868, Andrew Johnson, 17th president of the United States, became the first president to have impeachment proceedings brought against him by the House of Representatives.

In 1887, Paris and Brussels became the first two capital cities to be linked by telephone.

In 1920, Lady Astor, first woman member of the British Parliament, made her maiden speech.

In 1920, an extremist political group in Germany outlined its program to create a Third German Reich. Its spokesman, Adolf Hitler, said it would change its name to the National Socialist German Workers' Party.

In 1938, nylon was produced for the first time in Arlington, New Jersey; it was used for toothbrush bristles.

In 1942, the Voice of America radio station broadcast for the first time with the words "The Voice of America speaks. ... we shall speak to you about America and the war. The news may be good or bad, but we shall tell you the truth."

In 1945, Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Maher Pasha was shot dead in Parliament just after reading a declaration of war on Germany and Japan.

In 1946, Juan Peron was elected president of Argentina.

In 1966, in Ghana, President Kwame Nkrumah, president since independence, was overthrown in an army coup.

In 1972, Romania and Hungary signed a new 20-year friendship treaty.

In 1974, at the end of an Islamic conference, Pakistan said it officially recognized Bangladesh as an independent nation.

In 1991, in the Gulf War, the ground campaign began with an allied night attack. More than 14,000 Iraqis were captured in the first 24 hours of fighting.

In 1993, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney announced his resignation as Conservative Party leader.

In 1994, Syria granted exit visas to all 1,000 Syrian Jews still living in the country, allowing them to travel abroad if they wished.

In 1994, Dinah Shore, legendary U.S. singer and entertainer, died.

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